Belmont birds: Stoney's to become Brown's

The news last week that Stoney's Grocery in Belmont had closed came as a shock, but it appears there's a silver lining. Long-time property owner Lawrence Burruss, who had been leasing the store to Charlottesville Police Sergeant Marc Brake and his wife, decided to put the whole shebang up for sale– store, deli, gas station– and in swooped local realtor Mike Brown. As oldertimers will recall, Brown once owned the Brown's Mini-Market in Esmont on Route 6, which was known for its fried chicken.

"When he operated the market in Esmont," says Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society prez Steve Meeks, "he served some of the best fried chicken in the county. People would drive for miles to get his chicken."

Indeed, Brown humbly admits it was one of his specialties and says he plans to be serving it up at the store, which he has re-named Brown's. Currently, he's remodeling the interior and says he should be open in a matter of weeks.